Dispenser cap



Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEA 2,281,135 DISPENSERCAP John D. Becker, Chowchilla, Calif. Application June 21,1940,seriallNo. 341,646

(c1. zal-1s) 2 Claims.

having a pouring spout-normally closed by av movable flap, such flaphaving means associated therewith to automatically open the ilap uponthe dispenser receptacle being titled from a normally upstandingposition.

A further object of th'e invention is to provide a sanitaryv dispensingcap especially designed for use with a cream server or other liquiddispenser, but which is also admirably suited for use in connection witha dispenser for granular products such as sugar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser cap which canbe readily disassembled for cleansing.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecication and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference` indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved dispenser cap.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the cap aslapplied to a dispenserreceptacle, illustrating the' pouring spout closed.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation illustrating the cap with the pouringspout open.'

Figure 4 is a plan view of the closure plate.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the spout closing ap and actuating tongue.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawing, the device comprises a circular cap I formed with a commondepending screw collar 2 adapted to removably and threadingly engage theupper end of a Y receptacle 3.

The cap I is formed with an integral, upstanding body 4 which extendsdiametrally across the upper surface of the cap; such body being ofsubstantial height and elongated. Adjacent one end such body is formedwith a downwardly and outwardly sloping face 5 which tapers in plantoward its outer end which forms an overhanging pouring lip 6. Anupwardly and outwardly sloping opening I extends through the body 4 to apoint adjacent lip 6 with which it forms a pouring spout; the inner endof said opening 1 being in communication with the interior o1 receptacle3.

'I'he upstanding elongated body 4' is formed with a relatively deeptrough or groove 8 which extends longitudinally in said body in upwardlyopening relation. A closure plate 9 is removably but frictionallyengaged in a channel II) which extends about the groove 8 adjacent thetop thereof; said closure plate engaging in said channel from the end ofgroove 8 adjacent the pouring spout. At such end the closure plate 9 isformed with a downwardly angled ange II having a transverse slot I2 cuttherethrough. A closure flap I3 normally rests of its own weight flushagainst the face 5, closing the outer end of passage I and overlying lipIi. The rear end of ap I3 is formed with a rearwardly projecting tongueI4 which hingingly extends through and rearward slope, and at an acuteangle to ilap I3. rI'he tongue has a relatively loose t in slot I2 sothat the-nap may swing freely up and down relative to face 5. Theportion of the tongue I4 within the groove 8 is of substantial thicknessto prevent'escape of the tongue through said groove, this beingaccomplished by initially forming said tongue of substantially doublelength and folding the same in half, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

A relatively heavy ball I5, such as a glass marble, is disposed ingroove 8 and normally rests in the end of `said groove most remote fromthe pouring spout, and spaced from the tongue I4 of flap I3;V said ballnormally being seated on a. bleed hole I6 extending through cap I intoreceptacle 3. The tongue I4 is of such length that it projects into thepath of movement of the ball in said groove.

When the receptacle 3 is disposed vertically, the flap 3 closes passage1 and ball I5 closes bleed hole I 6. However, upon the receptacle 3being tilted in a direction to pour the contents thereof through passage1 and over pouring lip 6, the ball I5 rolls toward the opposite end I1of groove 8. With such movement of the ball it strikes tongue I4 andswings the same into abutment with said end I1 of groove 8, causing theflap I3 to swing away from the pouring lip 8 whereby to open the pouringspoutf In addition air then bleeds through hole I6 into receptacle 3,preventing any tendency to vacuum. Upon the receptacle being returned toanormal vertical position, ball I5 rolls away from end I1 of groove 8,retracting from tongue i5 and permitting nap i to return to a normalclosed position.

In order to cleanse the above described dispenser cap, the closure plate8 is drawn out of channel l0, taking with it iiap I3 and tongue I4.Thereupon the ball l5 may be removed from groove 8 and all of the partsproperly cleaned and the device then reassembled.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially ullls the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specication sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not forro a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as den'ed by the appended claims. p

Having thus described my invention, what-I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispenser cap having a pouring opening therethrough, a flapnormally closing said opening, the cap having an upwardly openingelongated groove therein extending diametrally from adjacent saidopening, a closure plate on the 'cap aesinet and enclosing the grooveadjacent the top there# of, said plate having a transverse slot thereinadjacent said opening, a tongue on said nap proopening, the cap having agroove therein adjacent said opening, a ball normally disposed in saidgroove adjacent one end thereof, and means `mounting said flap formovement awaya from said opening, saidl means including an actuatingelement projecting into the groove adjacent its other end and positionedto be engaged and moved bysaid ball upon tilting of the cap and rollingmovement of the ball toward said other .end of the groove, the cap beingformed with a bleed hole therethrough from the groove, and the ball whendisposed in said one end of the groove being seated on and closing saidbleed hole.

J OHN D. BECKER.

